SOCIAL SERVICE IN CITY

Southland Times, Issue 25704, 13 July 1943, Page 2

SOCIAL SERVICE IN CITY

PLAN TO CO-ORDINATE ACTIVITIES The need for a central city organization to provide assistance in cases of distress, particularly among the wives of serving soldiers with young families, was emphasized last night at a meeting convened by the Mayor (Mr A. Wachner), and representative of social service organizations and the public last night. Fifty persons were present. A committee was set up to co-ordinate the work of existing organizations and consider schemes for meeting the situation.

The Mayor said he had been interested in social work for many years and he had found that the various social organizations in the cjty responded well to any call for assistance. With the growth of the city and in the present times of stress and difficulty he felt there was a need for a united effort. He did not wish to increase the burden of the existing social service organizations, but he would like to see the city zoned into areas and responsible officers appointed in each area. To these officers persons could report needs in any homes. The plan would be aimed chiefly at assisting the wives of servicemen, but assistance should be available for all who needed it. The demand at the present time was not as much for financial aid as for assistance in meeting the present difficult conditions. Many wives of soldiers with young children needed help and this could be given by cutting kindling wood and mowing lawns. Later, he hoped it would be possible for voluntary workers to undertake the digging of vegetable gardens. The plan should not be adopted hurriedly, and he believed that it would be better to move slowly and develop the scheme on sound lines. Valuable help could be given by the women banding themselves together and interesting themselves in the welfare of the other residents in their streets, the Mayor continued. The wardens of the city E.P.S. could assist in passing on to the central authority any information which deserved investigation. Dr C. C. Anderson, Boy Scout Commissioner, had offered the services. of the organization in giving assistance where it was required. SOLDIERS’ WIVES

Mr D. K. Torrance said that since he saw a trainload of married men leaving for military service he had wondered ; how their wives would be able to mani age their homes during their husbands’ i absence. Many had young children and ; would have a difficult task. He suggest- ■ ed that the assistance of the senior boys ■ of the secondary schools should be en- • listed to assist in jobs about the homes. : E.P.S. personnel and Home Guardsmen • had been relieved of many of their du- ■ ties and could assist with the gardens j of serving soldiers. The women could ■ provide help in the homes. Many years ago most valuable work had been done in Invercargill by the Patients and Prisoners’ Aid and City Missionary Aid Society, said Mr G. J. Reed. The city missioner had been most helpful in assisting in overcoming troubles in the homes. The society had not been active for some years, but it still held funds and might be willing to assist financially in the revival of the activities which it had once undertaken. In 1940 tlie Southland Trades Council had inaugurated suoh a scheme, said Mr D. W. Stalker. It had offered to cut grass and hedges and put in gardens, but there had been very few inquiries. People could not be induced to ask for assistance—they were too independent. Women with the motherly spirit knew what was required in their streets and could be depended on to report cases in which assistance was required. DOMESTIC HELP NEEDED Miss Richardson said assistance in the gardens was very welcome, but domestic help in the homes was desperately needed. Some women would be willing to give help for an hour or two, but in cases of illness women who could take full-time charge of homes were required. Mr E. A. Smith said the organization should try to secure the services of a nurse who could go into homes and give any assistance required. Mrs E. M. Sinclair, secretary of the Southland Centre of the Red Cross Society, said she could confirm that there was a great need for domestic help which was now practically unobtainable. Some most distressing cases had come under her notice. Two classes of women assistants were required, said Miss Helen Birss. The first were those who could give domestic help. The second were those of understanding who could go into homes and give sympathetic encouragement to those who were in need of it. There were many cases of lonely wives of serving soldiers who were tied to their homes and children and who would welcome visits from helpful and sympathetic women. The women of Invercargill could unite to give a great deal of help in homes, said the Rev. L. W. Rothwell. Many women found time to attend meetings of various societies and it might be that that time could be better utlized in assisting other women in less fortunate cases. The Ministers’ Association was well aware of the great need for domestic help at the present time. GOVERNMENT SCHEME A letter from Mrs L. Wilson, recreational officer, stated that the Minister of Health intended to institute a home assistance, home nursing and domestic aid service as soon as possible. The town clerk (Mr W. F. Sturman) suggested that a committee representative of the various social service organizations of the city be set up to coordinate their activities. One of the committee’s first actions might be to secure funds for the engagement of‘ a former nurse to help in cases of distress. The committee could ask the Government to subsidize the cost until its full scheme was in operation and urge the prompt introduction of the proposed State service. This suggestion was adopted and a : committee was set up representative of : the Red Cross Society, Order of St. John, Plunket Aids, Women’s War Ser- ; vice Auxiliary, women’s section of the : Returned Servicemen’s Association, ; Ministers’ Association, St. Vincent de J Paul Society and the Salvation Army, ■ with the Mayor as convener. •